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DeSean Jackson Wants You to Get Off the Couch

The trainer is virtual, but the sweat is real. That's the message that DeSean Jackson wants to bring to Kinect users everywhere thanks to his recently-enacted new stint as a spokesman for Microsoft's new "Nike+ Kinect Training" system.

Nike+ Kinect Training looks to turn the combination of a Kinect and an Xbox 360 system into a fully-featured home gym, describing a wide array of exercises that can be done right in front of your television. The Nike+ Kinect training system actually can track your movements, and create a customized workout profile according to your individual strengths and weaknesses.

The movement tracking also allows the system to release rapid feedback on the overall workout performance, as well as a way to find out just where to improve your performance. Social features also come into play, thanks to a connection to both the Xbox Live and Nike+ communities, and the app can even track progress along the way. Those interested in picking up a copy can do so from several different storefronts right now, for around $49.99.

While a big part of Jackson's pitch has very little to do with the software and a lot more to do with the personal struggles he endured in his rise to wide receiver stardom, making this less than effective as a marketing tool, the key point here is that, by all reports, the software does just what it promises.

The workout is a tough one, which gets tougher as users progress, and offers plenty of help by way of simulated personal trainers. It might have been more helpful in the long term if Microsoft's marketing had been more about what the software offered, but still, Jackson's pitch is likely to prove effective for those already fond of Jackson. This in turn is a healthy portion of Nike+ Kinect's likely market, so the impact should still be sound. Other figures were brought in, including retired gymnast Shawn Johnson and DJ Skee, among others--Shawn Johnson's pitch, for example, talks quite a bit more about the program itself--to talk about their experiences with Nike+ Kinect.

Still, with obesity still a problem throughout a large portion of the United States, and more users wanting to take advantage of whatever is available in a bid to get healthier, something like Nike+ Kinect may be useful. It takes advantage of what's already on hand and what's already familiar, and that should go a long way toward keeping users interested.